title pic

by John Glover
click here for cast list

Episode 7: "Jak Jackson" (May 18th 10:30am)

flashing signal Jak Jackson threw the ‘up’ signal lever back into its home position in the frame and watched as the ten thirty-two disappeared into the distance. A quick tap on the bell and he settled back in his chair and picked up a book. Jak had found his niche in life as a signalman. After years of drifting from job to job he was now able to pursue his hobbies of reading, playing the guitar and enjoying the sunshine on the balcony of the signalbox yes - that signal box. He only had a few trains to deal with each day and the traffic passing over the level crossing was very light for most of the year. It was only during the harvest that he was disturbed too much. So, the rest of his time at work was his own. When he had first been assigned to Cauliflower Drove after his six weeks of basic training he spent the first three months cleaning and painting the old grubby box into a style that more reflected his character. He decided on the colour scheme after seeing John Lennon's psychedelic Rolls Royce on television when it had gone up for auction. The multi coloured box was a stunning sight set against the background of huge fenland sky.

The coffee percolator was just reaching the end of it's cycle of gurgle and splutter when there was a tap on the door. His initial thought was that it was Clunch and Hummer coming up for their morning cuppa and chat. He was mildly surprised to be met by the sight of Yaxley Farcett when he swung open the signal box door.

Yaxley showed Jak his ID and shook hands before stepping inside the signal box. The place was kitted out more like Kew Gardens than a Signal box. Hanging baskets were suspended from the roof, trailing plants cascaded over the top of the bell Jak's cak!shelf and a multitude of cacti sat around on window ledges in spiky defiance of the fact that this was, most definitely not, Texas. In one corner there were four separate piles of paperback books and in another an amplifier with a Gretch electric guitar leaning idly against Jak's Gretchit. Jak Jackson was not typical of the locals he had met so far.

"Well man. You're just in time for some of God's Brazilian Wake up juice. Milk and shoog ?" Jak was an ageing hippy and proud of it. Yaxley warmed to him immediately and settled down into an ancient armchair as Jak handed him his coffee. The years seemed to roll away as he settled down amongst the creaking springs. It was if he had been transported to a kind of Ealing Comedy Theme Park and he fully expected Alec Guinness or Peter Sellers to burst in at any moment.

He sipped on the hot coffee and turned to the matter in hand. "So what time did you start your shift this morning Jak?" Jackson sat down in his armchair, which was equally as old and comfortable as Farcett's and picked up his guitar. Quietly, he began to tune it, while he considered the question for a few seconds.

"I was here for a six o'clock start. Read the paper for an hour. Watered the plants, had some breakfast and then noticed that the wind was getting stronger. Within a couple of minutes the land started to blow and I began to take a few pictures. Over the years I've taken some really powerful shots of the whole of this area being almost black with the stuff. When the wind died down and the sky cleared I saw old Hummer and Clunch standing over poor Reg. What a bummer for them to find him like that". Yaxley considered this. "So, you were taking photos at the time of the murder?"

The prologue - Episode One -  Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 -  Episode 5 - Episode 6 - Episode 8 - Cast List and Episode Index

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